Getting out of the comfort zone, be it in my work place or in home or my daily routine lifestyle.... take a lot of efforts. It's not as easy as 1, 2, 3 ... in fact, to lift up that first step and place it in the 'non-comfort zone' do need a huge amount of energy, sacrifices, pain and suffering.....
It might not be a 'problem' for anyone who is always expressive. However, it is definitely MY problem. You won't find me telling you I love you, even if i do, a lot and you can feel that I do. Vice versa.... I won't tell you out of your face that I do not want to see you.
It's hard, for me... when clients requested me to visit them in Xiamen, China. I refused. But they insisted. I couldn't see the purpose of going there, but they insisted. After a few weeks of trying, I asked a friend to go with me and clients agreed to bear costs either. So, we went. I am seriously glad that she went with me. She's not only a PA (personal assistant), she is very encouraging, easy to deal with, very relaxing and comforting friend. I wouldn't know what I will be if not because of her. She certainly has made me feel better when I got scolded so badly by all the parties over some misunderstanding they themselves created. Heated arguments between the two parties has somehow made one party put me on the 'plate' and it got worse each day.... I would have just board a plane and left the bloody place if not because she was trying to calm me down, cheers me up to face every single day's challenges. When everyone wants to make me drink alcohol, she finished them all for me, knowing that, I wouldn't be able to get that done myself.
We would just get out of our room, sneak out the hotel and went for an ice cream and a walk after a bad long day. Giving me a pat on my shoulder is what she did when she sensed that I am almost standing up on my feet, wanted to point my finger and start scolding everyone. I would say, it's certainly one good decision made to brought her along this trip. God must be hearing my prayers.... made her quit her job on time... for this trip. hahahaha....
Each night.... one of our must have conversation is, whether we should just stop by HK just to chill. Being very co-operative, she goes with whatever decision I made. I have been saying "NO" until when we boarded the plane from Xiamen to HK (delayed by 1 1/2 hours). I told client's daughter in law sitting on my left first that we are stopping by HK before I told her we are stopping by HK. She was cool about it. Making the stay more worth it, she won a prize of HKD1000 dining voucher. She brought me to the Japanese place, ate an expensive oysters and Wayu beef and let me share her frozen beer (Grapes). I let her planned the evening and she let me plan the next day.
Most of the time, we don't need to speak much.... she's like someone who can read my mind. When I saw a cartoon bag, i looked at her, she is already laughing.... and she told me, 'she saw and she knows what i wanna say'. Well, it's weird.... a short few days.... from an 'uncomfortable' non close friend.... we became friend that we can share jokes, pain and all with.
- out of the comfort zone -
